During an unprecedented time for sports, many athletes are finding new ways to stay active and continue preparing for their upcoming seasons. For any athlete, it is important to make time for injury prevention and recovery. Sports Performance sessions run by Coach Matulich and Coach Nichols help athletes with conditioning to decrease their chance for injury. 

According to Coach Matulich, “These sessions are intended to help out any students who may be interested in some extra sports performance knowledge and we hope each attendee can leave with a new skill to enhance their athletic experience. Each session is roughly 20-30 minutes. Of course, we would rather do these sessions in person to better demonstrate each exercise, however we are able to show videos during these sessions virtually which is a great advantage.”

The September 23rd session revolved around stretching, with a strong emphasis on flexibility. Coach Matulich explained what specific muscles are working for each stretch. After explaining, she demonstrated the stretch and invited the attendees to follow along. Some examples of the aforementioned stretches were a lunge stretch for the lower body and a shoulder stretch for upper body.

Stretching not only improves your flexibility, but is also a great method to avoid muscle tightness. By increasing range of motion through stretching, muscles cannot be pulled or torn as easily. Stretching is a technique used beyond the weight room as well, and it can have positive effects on individuals’ health and happiness. 

In addition to stretching after workouts, it is equally important to eat healthy. Immediately after working out, it is necessary to refuel with lots of protein to facilitate the rebuilding and repairing of muscles. A great way to do this is by adding protein powder to a smoothie or drink. Stretching and fueling your body right are two very easy things you can do after a workout that can help prevent injuries and build strength and healthy habits.